In the past few weeks there has been a frenzy for Beatrix Potter coins that has seen their value go through the roof.

Now another collectible coin has arrived on the market.

The Royal Mint launched a new £2 coin on July 18, to mark the 200th anniversary of the death of much-loved author Jane Austen.

The coin was released to recognise the legacy left by the English novelist, who died in 1817. Despite being just a few days old, the coins are already commanding a huge sum online, as sellers look to cash in on their rarity at the moment.

The new Jane Austen coin could quickly rise in value (Image: changechecker.org)

The reason why it is such a collectors item is the fact that The Royal Mint have only released the coin in a couple locations. These places are places that are heavily linked to the 18th century author, who wrote six major works including Pride & Prejudice.

Read More

The two Hampshire towns that were chosen were Basingstoke, which is where she was born, and Winchester, which is where she lived her final years and is now buried.

The coin features the silhouette of Jane Austen with the dates 1817-2017 overlapping her signature. The plan is to release the coin to the rest of the nation later in the year but for now, collectors are clamouring to for it and the price has soared.

The new Jane Austen coin has selling for a mint online (Image: eBay.co.uk)

It is also thought that the price of the coin is rising due to the huge international appeal of Jane Austen. There are very active Austen societies in the United States, Brazil and Japan, so if you are lucky enough to find one in your change, it would be savvy to cash in on it while it's still rare.